Context:

Three Yale professors, Marci Shore, Timothy Snyder, and Jason Stanley, have decided to leave the United States and move to Canada as a protest against the perceived democratic backsliding in America. They are concerned about the erosion of civil liberties under the Trump administration, such as the detention of legal residents and students without due process and threats against federal judges. Professor Stanley views his departure as a call to action, emphasizing a democratic emergency, while Professor Shore compares the situation to the Titanic's inevitable sinking, highlighting her historical knowledge of authoritarianism. Professor Snyder's decision is driven by both personal and professional reasons, including supporting his family and teaching at a university that encourages open discussions about freedom. Despite different motivations, all three professors agree that ignoring the attacks on the rule of law and institutions poses significant risks to democracy in the United States.

Dive Deeper:

• Marci Shore, Timothy Snyder, and Jason Stanley, all Yale professors with extensive expertise in authoritarianism, are relocating to the University of Toronto due to concerns over democratic decline in the United States.

• Their departure is partly in response to actions by the Trump administration, which they believe threaten civil liberties, such as the detention of individuals without due process and the intimidation of federal judges.

• Professor Jason Stanley sees his move as a form of protest to alert Americans to what he calls a 'democratic emergency', urging citizens to recognize the severity of the situation.

• Marci Shore, with a background in Central and Eastern European authoritarianism, likens the current state of American democracy to the Titanic, emphasizing that no system is immune to collapse.

• Timothy Snyder's decision is multifaceted, involving personal commitments to his family and professional opportunities to engage in meaningful discourse on freedom at a Canadian university.

• Though their reasons for leaving vary, the professors share a common analysis that neglecting the attacks on the rule of law and educational institutions endangers the country's democratic fabric.

• The professors' collective move acts as both a cautionary tale and a catalyst for action, urging awareness and intervention to safeguard democracy in the United States.